Evolutionary psychology

Question 1

Homology

Answer 1

shared inheritied structures e.g vertebrate limb, frontal lobe (anatomy is the way it is because of the shared genes & linke for caring for young (genes shared due to genealogy)

Question 2

Convergent evelution

Answer 2

result of natural selection

Question 3

requirements for natural selection

Answer 3

variation, heritibility, differential fitness

Question 4

variation (natural selection)

Answer 4

Different individuals in a population have different morphologies, physiologies, and behaviours.

Question 5

Heritability

Answer 5

There is a correlation between parents and offspring in the contribution of each to future generations. (look similar)

Question 6

Differential fitness

Answer 6

if resources are limiting, different phenotypes will have different rates of survival and reproduction because of differences in their design.

Question 7

what does comparative psych tell us?

Answer 7

not just HOW minds work, but WHY they work the way they do

Question 8

what tool makes us unique?

Answer 8

Langauage

Question 9

Kanzi

Answer 9

Reactive, not grasp functionality of language
don’t grasp functionality

Question 10

types of intelligence

Answer 10

Domain specific. domain general

Question 11

Domain specific

Answer 11

specific to a particular domain e.g. perhaps there are specific modules for language, vision, social cognition (cant talk to other parts of the brain and integrate information)

Question 12

Domain general

Answer 12

integrates information across different domains 30

Question 13

Vygotsky - domain general

Answer 13

language plays a major role in shaping thought: as we develop we internalise our speech which then allows us to develop complex thought

Question 14

Piaget - domain general

Answer 14

language provides labels for experiences but is not central to the development of thought

Question 15

Probabilistic reasoning

Answer 15

involves making predictions about the likelihood of different event outcomes.

Question 16

kia experiment

Answer 16

Kea seem capable of the type of domain-general, complex thought that in the past has been thought to require language…

Question 17

Genotype

Answer 17

what is inherited
– The set of DNA molecules contained in nucleus
– A genotype particular to a trait

Question 18

Phenotype

Answer 18

what develops from the genotype
– An organism’s physiology, anatomy, behaviour

Question 19

chromosome

Answer 19

thread-like structures contained in the cell nucleus. Each chromosome is a DNA molecule. Chromosomes occur in pairs. Human
somatic cells usually contain 23 pairs

Question 20

gene

Answer 20

a stretch of DNA that produces a specific protein

Question 21

locus

Answer 21

position of a gene on a chromosome

Question 22

allele

Answer 22

alternative forms of a gene at the same locus

Question 23

homozygous

Answer 23

when an organism possesses 2 identical alleles for a particular trait

Question 24

heterozygous

Answer 24

when an organism possesses 2 different alleles for a particular trait

Question 25

dominant

Answer 25

an allele that manifests it effects in both heterozygotes and homozygotes e.g. brown eyes

Question 26

recessive

Answer 26

an allele that manifests it effects only in homozygotes e.g. blue eyes

Question 27

polygenic inheritance

Answer 27

a trait whose phenotypic expression is influenced by many genes e.g. most psychological traits

Question 29

Heritability of IQ
Can we separate the effects of shared genes from shared environments?
Three possible ways.

Answer 29

Adoption studies
2. Identical (monozygotic) vs non-identical (dizigotic) twins
3. Separated identical twins

Question 30

Gottfredson 1999

Answer 30

IQ predicts social success

Question 31

Jim Flynn & the “Flynn effect”

Answer 31

overtime intelligence is increasing

As the population dgrows – intelligence has to increase for the distribution to stay at 50%

Question 32

IQ highly heritable but…

Answer 32

also depends on environment

Question 33

Highly heritable traits cannot be changed
Therefore…

Answer 33

Ethnic and class differences are genetic
* Ethnic and class differences cannot (and should not) be changed

Question 34

the dictator game

Answer 34

How much money would you give to another person (never going to see them again etc)

What was the most common response (keep it because you don’t know them, never gonna see them again etc)

Question 35

phsychs dirty little secret

Answer 35

does not include all cultures and people

Question 36

culture is transmitted and adaptive - how are cultural differences transmitted?

Answer 36

Cultural differences that arise due to information transmitted via social learning

vital for survival

Question 37

how do humans learn

Answer 37

Overimmitation, presteige bias, conforming bias

Question 38

Over-imitation

Answer 38

copying a behavior, even when that behavior appears irrelevant

Question 39

conformist bias

Answer 39

copy the majoirty

Question 40

presteige bias

Answer 40

copy the successful - copy behaviour anyway

Question 41

what is a meme

Answer 41

idea that culture evolves through a process of inheritance involving bits of information

Question 42

what is a selfish meme

Answer 42

Compete for limited space

Cultural selection for best replicators

Memes can enhance or reduce our chances of survival

Cultural fitness ≠ genetic fitness = doesn’t necessary mean genetic fitness

Consider smoking or vows of celibacy

An entirely new evolving system

designs a process where mems are competitive (not always helpful – this is the selfish part) e.g smothing, used to be called health sticks – wants to be replicated – doesn’t mean its actually good for you) like not sleeping – normilised in todays culture

Genes that exist in culture

Cultural behaviors/traits can help towards survival – what plants to eat, how to prep food etc

Meme doesn’t have to be beneficial – tries to replicate (goal to replicate)

Question 43

Is religion selfish meme?

Answer 43

Yes – because it is trying to prorogate through people and the success of it reply of the practice of it from people

Question 44

A cultural adaptation for group survival?

Answer 44

Belief in a powerful deity who will punish immoral behaviour helps individuals trust others in their group, promoting cooperation

Question 45

what is pinkers claim

Answer 45

Changes in levels of violence over human history

Question 46

Lorenz 1966 On Aggression

Answer 46

very pessimistic view

Underlying view there is an inventible violent human nature

Question 47

Albert Bandura observational learning, modeling

Answer 47

aggression is socially learnt

Question 48

selfish or cooperative?

Answer 48

Evolution is often seen as selecting for ruthless self-interest where ‘nice guys’ finish last.

Are humans inherently selfish?

Question 49

ultimatum game

Answer 49

Depends on their the person accepts (if they do both is doubled)

Question 50

evolution of human cooperation…

Answer 50

Even non-human primates may have non-selfish motives

Human cooperation is normative

Humans will punish norm violators

Cooperation is cultural

Reputation and language also play a role

Question 51

Are we violent and selfish by nature?

Answer 51

Our closest relatives are a mix of violence (chimps) and non-violence (bonobos), self-interest and cooperation

Historical evidence of high rates of violence, but violence has declined massively over human history

Our nature comprises a capacity for violence, but also ‘better angels’ – compassion, fairness, self- control

What wins out is a product of human culture

Question 52

nature of the primate?

Answer 52

Nature of the primate?

The real lord of the flies – complete opposite of what of the…(yt video – going crazy going at each other, killing eathother)